It's official now. The signs had been there for a while now. While the west bangs on about the importance of freedom and democracy, they don't actually want anyone to have too much of it. The US, France, and the UK have jointly pretty much declared war on freedom on the web.

Oh please! Most people don't really consider Spain and Portugal to be part of "the western world".
But it's quite interesting point you are raising. What we consider western world is very narrow in definition. US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are very much part of the western world. But somehow non former British colonies are not included. Maybe because British colonists and colonies eradicated the local culture after taking over. While Spanish and Portuguese essentially incorporated local culture into catholicism.

Since Franco, and whoever messed up Portugal. They are often included since they became democratic again and joined the EU, but I guess traditionally here is (1940-1980), which about the same age as the divide between east and west europe (1940-1990).

I've gone trough 4 passports in the last year alone! You probably don't know that Visas take space in the passport. And don't even talk about how much I travel within Europe. I essentially in my home country only on Saturday and Sunday. I don't think you hold top tiers of customer loyalty programmes in 4 worlds biggest hotel chains and a few airlines'.